Tech billionaire, Tesla CEO, and X owner Elon Musk has reignited the global debate around COVID-19 vaccine safety after sharing a deeply personal account of his experience with both the virus and its vaccine. In a post on X that has since garnered over 15 million views, Musk claimed that contracting the original Wuhan strain of COVID-19 felt no worse than a common cold or flu, but that his second vaccine shot left him feeling close to death, strong enough to make him question whether the dosage was too high. His remarks, posted on April 12, 2026, came in response to testimony by Dr. Helmut Sterz, a former Pfizer toxicologist, at a German parliamentary inquiry that discussed estimates of vaccine-related deaths. The post has since triggered a global conversation, with users sharing personal experiences while health authorities reiterate established scientific findings on vaccine safety.
What did Elon Musk say about the COVID vaccine
Musk took to X to draw a stark contrast between his COVID-19 infection and his vaccine experience.“The vaccine dosage was obviously too high and done too many times,” he wrote. “I had the original Wuhan virus before there was any vaccine and it was much like any other cold or flu. Bad, but not terrible. But my second vaccine shot almost sent me to the hospital. Felt like I was dying.”The post was a repost of content shared by Swedish journalist Peter Imanuelsen (@PeterSweden7), who had amplified testimony from Dr. Helmut Sterz before Germany’s Bundestag Corona Enquete Commission. Musk’s comments quickly became one of the most discussed topics on the platform.
The German parliamentary testimony that started it all
At the centre of the controversy is Dr. Helmut Sterz’s appearance before the Bundestag’s Corona Enquete Commission on March 19, 2026, at the invitation of the AfD party. Sterz, a retired toxicologist who previously worked at pharmaceutical companies Roche and Pfizer, made several claims about the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.He alleged that key preclinical safety studies were bypassed during development and raised concerns about long-term effects. Most controversially, he applied a multiplier to Germany’s official figure of 2,133 post-vaccination deaths reported to the Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, arriving at a speculative estimate of 20,000 to 60,000 vaccine-linked fatalities in Germany, based on extrapolation rather than confirmed causal data.This figure has not been independently verified or supported by public health authorities and remains an individual interpretation, not scientific consensus.
Elon Musk’s complicated history with COVID vaccines
This is not the first time Musk has spoken about COVID vaccines, and his position has evolved over time.In September 2020, he said he would not take the vaccine. Months later, after testing positive for COVID-19, he shifted his stance. By 2021, he publicly stated that he supports vaccines in general and COVID vaccines specifically.He later received a Johnson and Johnson shot, which he tolerated well, but reported strong reactions to subsequent mRNA booster doses. In January 2023, he wrote that he experienced significant side effects from a booster shot and felt severely unwell for several days. He also mentioned a relative who developed myocarditis after vaccination.
‘I’m not anti-vaccine’, Musk’s nuanced stance
Despite his criticism, Musk has consistently said he is not anti-vaccine. In an interview with Tucker Carlson in 2024, he acknowledged that vaccines have saved many lives and remain important in preventing disease.He pointed to vaccines for polio and smallpox as key medical achievements. His primary concern has been mandates rather than vaccines themselves.“My concern was more the demand that people must take the vaccine and multiple boosters to do anything at all,” he wrote. He also said he would not fire employees who refused vaccination.
What does the science actually say?
Health authorities continue to maintain that COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective for most people. The World Health Organization has described them as a key tool in reducing severe illness and deaths during the pandemic.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that myocarditis is a rare side effect of mRNA vaccines, typically mild and resolving without complications.Common side effects such as fatigue, fever, and soreness are expected immune responses and usually short-lived. Musk did not specify his exact symptoms, making clinical interpretation difficult.The debate surrounding Musk’s comments reflects a broader tension in post-pandemic discourse between established scientific evidence and individual experiences. While adverse events do occur, they remain rare compared to the overall benefits of vaccination in preventing severe disease.What remains clear is that high-profile voices can significantly influence public perception. With Musk once again at the centre of the conversation, the debate around vaccines, risk, and personal choice continues to evolve.